Wow...25...I love you guys. When I log on and see reviews, I'm deeply inspired. I really love you guys. I don't think I could do it without you. So I just want to thank you all. There are no words...*clears throat* Now with the sentimental stuff out of the way, on to personal replies and the fic! ^_^

Joshrox116- Why thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Skeet11- I don't think it comes out stupid. ^_^ Aww...thank...*wipes away tears*

Chelsea- Lol, I'm glad I managed to capture Charlie's flare for drama. ^_^ And thanks again!

Lelu- Thanks bunches! I'm glad you liked.

Schiz- Lol, yeah. I know, Bombay isn't being very nice in this fic but that's okay. Oops, I mentioned him...bad me! *slaps wrist* Anyway, yes, you are loved oh special one! *hugs* ^_^ lol...

Disclaimer- Alas no...I have yet to own The Mighty Ducks. I am but a lowly Fishy who spends her time writing fanfiction for the pleasure and enjoyment of others. Nowhere in that description does it say I own the greatness that is the Mighty Ducks...cry with me...

-Chapter 5-

Charlie walked up to the stairs to the dorms in his bare feet. He was freezing cold and soaking wet to the bone by this point. Somewhere along the way he had taken off his socks and skates and stuffed them in his backpack. He had slipped and fallen again because of the slick ground and he only makes the same mistake once...or, three times in the course of that particular day but that isn't the point, now is it?

Glancing around, he saw that he was finally in the right hall. All the Ducks stayed in one hall together. He and Guy bunked with Banks so he went to knock on the door.

When it opened, it revealed the face of Adam Banks. Behind him was the rest of the team.

"Man, Charlie! What happened to you?!" Adam nearly yelled when he saw Charlie standing in the doorway.

Charlie looked down at his attire. Bare feet, soaking wet t-shirt and muddy jeans.

Okay, so he looked pretty bad but did he REALLY have to put it so bluntly?

"Thanks Banksie. Way to make me feel better." Charlie said sarcastically, allowing a small smile to come out.

The Captain of the Mighty Ducks was beginning to notice he only got down-in- the-dumps when he was alone. Anytime he spoke with someone about his problem, he always felt better. What a concept...he should do it more often!

The other Ducks gave him weak grins as Adam put a hand on Charlie's shoulder, leading him inside.

"Feeling better?" Julie asked, concerned that he had refused to tell them what was wrong earlier that day.

Charlie gave them a weak grin. "Yeah...you could say that..."

"Sit down Conway! Drown your worries with some Pepsi!" Fulton said, throwing an un-opened Pepsi at the team Captain.

Charlie grinned at them and sat down on the bed in between Julie and Guy. But Guy might as well not be there because according to him, nothing but Connie existed at that given moment. Not that anything except Connie ever existed in Guy's world anyway...with the exception of hockey of course.

Charlie opened the Pepsi can with one hand as he ran a hand through his wet hair with the other.

"I'm wet." Charlie said, as if noticing this for the first time.

"That you are! Now get of this bed before you get me wet too!" Julie "The Cat" Gaffney said to Charlie as she pushed him onto the floor.

"Hey! Banksie doesn't mind, do you Banskie?" Charlie said, grinning from his spot on the floor.

"What? Sit on your own bed man! Don't go getting MINE wet! I just changed the sheets!" Adam said, grinning.

"Sorry, no can do man! Portman and Fulton are on it. Russ too. No room!" Charlie said, giving them a toothy grin.

Everyone laughed.

"Go change Spazway! Only THEN may you sit on my bed!" Adam said, sitting in a wooden chair by the desk.

"That I shall. Anyone sits in my seat, they die." Charlie said with mock- seriousness as he turned to get some dry clothes out of the closet.

He then took them to the bathroom where he could get changed in peace.

He slipped off the soaking wet clothes, tossing them over the shower rail to dry. Then he put on the new pair of jeans and a white t-shirt.

Wetting a hand towel and washing his face, he let out a content sigh. His gaze fell on his reflection in the mirror. He had looked terrible when he came in here. At now he resembled a human being.

He dried his face before walking back out of the bathroom to join the others.

"It lives!" Averman shouted, hiding behind a pillow on Guy's bed.

"Shuttup Averman!" Charlie said with a laugh as he took his place in between Julie and Guy again.

"So spill, dude! What has been on your mind that prevents you from playing hockey with us? Man, you NEVER put down hockey!" Dean Portman said, leaning back on Charlie's bed.

"Yeah Conway, you should tell us!" Fulton agreed.

Charlie grinned and grabbed one of Adam's pillows. Adam had about three so he didn't think it would be missed.

"That was actually why I came. I was planning on going home and wallowing in self-pity, but then it occurred to me this would be the most constructive thing to do." Charlie said, pulling his feet up on the bed.

"Feet. Off. Now." Adam said, motioning to Charlie's still-wet sneakers on the 'newly-changed sheets'.

Charlie sighed and reluctantly kicked off his shoes onto the floor to be neglected. He had moved from his former spot so he wouldn't get his nice dry pants wet again. That would totally stink.

"So are you going to tell us or not?" Portman asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"Yeah Conway!" Connie agreed.

"Hm, so enthusiastic...perhaps I should drawl this out..." Charlie said with a grin.

When the response turned sour Charlie just grinned nervously and said, "Hey, I was just joking..."

All the faces changed back to enthusiastic to hear his story in exact unison. Charlie let out a laugh. He didn't know what he would do without his Ducks.

"Okay, I think you've waited long enough. I don't really know how to explain it though. Um, uh...how do I say it. Where should I start? I guess I should start the beginning, huh?" Charlie said, the smile starting to slowly fade again. He hated this but he was convinced he would tell them. Then he could count on them for full support.

Everyone's smiles faded along with his as they took on confusion. What could it be?

"Hm. I guess I should start with the man from earlier today." Charlie said, taking a breath, mentally preparing himself for this.

Telling Coach Orion was one thing, telling the Ducks was another. He didn't know why but it almost seemed easier to tell Orion...

They all listened intently. They didn't know who the man was but he had scared the crud out of them...well, most of them. And what could he have to do with Charlie?

"C'mon Charlie." Adam said in a comforting tone. Something was bugging Charlie and he wanted to know what.

He and Charlie had become good friends and he was genuinely concerned. After his thing with Varsity, Charlie and him had a talk and resolved all differences. Now they were better friends than ever. He had told him about his anxiety about the Scouts and how his dad expected him to be perfect. Now he and the Ducks were going to help him with his problem.

"He's...he's my father." Charlie said, leaning up against the wall, holding a pillow and staring blankly at the sheets of Adam's bed. This was getting harder and harder. Wasn't it supposed to get easier as he went on?

"What?" the team said in perfect unison, looks of confusion plastered on their faces.

Charlie just solemnly nodded in affirmation.

"That was...unexpected." Russ said, blinking.

"Yeah, he's your dad? But why was he all creepy like?" Dwayne asked, looking up at Charlie from his spot on the floor. It was a small dorm room.

"Because he's just a creepy person I guess." Charlie answered.

"But I thought you and your mom left your dad." Averman said in confusion.

"Me too..." he answered.

"What do you think he wants?" Julie asked. She hadn't been with the Ducks long but that didn't mean she was going to be left out.

Charlie shrugged and looked at the ceiling, trying to think of the answer himself. What could he want? Money? A divorce? But if he wanted that, why did he come to Charlie? Why didn't he go to his mom?

"I don't really know. I'm kind of just hoping he'll just disappear or something." Charlie confessed.

Everyone nodded with him.

"Um, I hate to ask but um...why did you and your mom leave your dad?" Julie asked timidly.

The few people who knew why bit their lip. Would he tell her?

"Well, let's just say the only memory I have of him are images of him hitting my mom in the face and my mom driving us away. That's about the extent of knowledge I have on the guy." Charlie choked out. No, he could handle this. He wasn't going to break down in front of the Ducks. He was their Captain, their leader. He couldn't let this get him down...

Julie bit her lip as a few tears came to her eyes. That was really sad.

She put an arm around his shoulders and gave him a hug.

"I'm sorry." She said in a small voice.

"It's okay." He replied in an equally small voice.

The room had a gloomy feel as they all sat in silence while the news sunk in. Most of them had no clue that had happened to Charlie while the rest of them just shook their heads at the memory. The question had been asked when the original Ducks had first met Charlie. He had told them but they had all, even Charlie, eventually forgotten and life went on as normal.

"So...I should probably call my mom and tell her where I am." Charlie said, breaking the silence.

They all nodded and Charlie got the phone. It was about 8:30 at the time and Charlie figured his mom would have been home for a while. He had gotten in the habit of calling and telling his mom where he would be staying. Tonight, it was the dorms. He didn't think he could handle anymore "alone time" to think.

The phone rang and his mom picked up on the other line.

'Hello?'

"Hey mom, it's Charlie." He replied.

'Charlie! Where are you? Are you okay?' Charlie could hear a hint of worry in her voice.

"I'm fine. And I'm at the dorms. I'm staying here for the night. I was just calling to tell you where I am." He replied.

'Okay, I guess I'll see you soon. And when you get home, I need to talk to you. Bye Charlie.'

"Okay, bye mom." He said before hanging up the phone.

The room had an uncomfortable silence about it. No one really knew quite what to say. They wanted to help and say the right thing but didn't want it to sound like they said it out of obligation. They wanted it to mean something.

"I guess this party's crashed..." Portman said to himself.

"I am sorry, guys. I guess I did kind of ruin the party." Charlie said with a crooked, forced smile.

"No you didn't man, I didn't mean it that way." Portman replied. He didn't know Charlie all that well but he didn't mean to offend him.

"Yeah Charlie, I'm glad you told us. You didn't ruin anything. I got more out of this than any other party, I assure you." Julie replied with a hint of a smile, pulling her legs to her chest and looking at Charlie.

Everyone said similar things but Charlie still felt bad for dampening the moment. But at least he had it off his chest.

Within an hour, everyone had left except Guy and Adam, considering they slept in that room too.

Charlie sat down on his bed. It was a trundle unit that they pulled out from under Adam's bed whenever Charlie stayed in the dorms. That way it wasn't out when he wasn't there. Saved space.

He said his good nights as he climbed under the warm covers. Today had been a long day for Charlie Conway. He was eager for its end and couldn't wait to fall asleep.

The song "Die Another Day" flowed through the air as Charlie drifted in and out of consciousness. He was more into the loud stuff like Pantera but there were no complaints. Besides, the song sounded pretty cool...